Sley driving system with single or double contact for power looms or hand looms

ABSTRACT

Sley driving apparatus for at least two sley swords in a loom, wherein the advance and retraction of the sley is effected by three separate pneumatic or hydraulic operating means connected in parallel. One of the operating means is directly connected between one of the sley swords and the loom support and is operative only during a first part of the sley movement. A second of the operating means is connected to a toggle joint, one link of which is coupled to the loom support and a second link of which is coupled to the associated sley sword, such that the toggle joint is straightened when the sley sword is in its advanced position. The third operating means is a cylinder coupled directly between a sley sword and the loom support and is connected to an adjustable source of pressure, so that the weight of the sley sword causes energy storage in the cylinder when the sley sword is in its retracted position, the latter cylinder and the first operating means being capable of stopping the sley sword in its forward position.

11 $22,726 [4 1 .luiy 9,1974

United States Patent [191 K sgr a! SLEY DRIVING SYSTEM WITH SHNGLE OR Primary Examinerl-lenry S. Jaudon DOUBLE CONTACT FQR POWER LOOMS Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Eric H. Waters OR HAND LOOMS' Sley driving apparatus for at least two sley swords in a only during a first part of the sley movement. A second of the operating means is connected to a toggle joint, one link of which is coupled to the loom support and a second link of which is coupled to the associated sley sword, such that the toggle joint is straightened when the sley sword is in its advancmosition. The third operating means is a cylinder coupled directly between a sley sword and the loom support and is connected to an adjustable source of pressure, so that the weight of the sley sword causes energy storage in the cylinder when the sley sword is in its retracted position, the latter cylinder and the first operating means being capable of stopping the sley sword in its forward position.

1,453,286 8/1966 France 139/190 711,695 10/1941 Germany............................ 139/190 4 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTED JUL 9|974 sum 02 mm N oE PATENTEDJUL 91924 saw un or1o m oE PATENTED JUL sum '05 or 1o I .lllllllllnfll PAIENIEBJUL 91914 3.822.726

sum "near 1o FIG 7 PATENTEBJUL 9am.

sum "07 or 10 I I I I I I I I I I I l I I mm @N 5 NM 22 j 27. l 2 ky 2 3 hiiiiii- N mu 4 Q a 2 a a w), ON M R NN w m o n PATENTEBJUL 9mm sum 08 or 10 PATENIEDJUL 91914 sum us [If 10f mmmm 9 w sum :10 M10 This invention relates to power looms and hand looms with two or more pivotally mounted sley swords.

Sley movements heretofore known are effected by crankshafts and different mechanical links and, respec tively, power transmission means applied between the drive source and the sley. ln looms with only two sley swords it is also known to drive the sley by pneumatic (compressed air) cylinders. These cylinders are connected directly to the sley sword.

vlt is desired that the sley movement during the time the shuttle passes through the shed, i.e. in the rearward position of the sley, is as small as possible,'arld therefore mechanical lever systems have been developed which pivot beyond the dead-center position in the rearward position of the crankshaft and in this way transfer only a small movement to the sley in its rearward position. I

The work of the sley comprises two basic movements: V

l. Lifting and lowering of the center of gravity of the sley from the lowest point of the sley to its highest and back to the lowest point.

2. Pressing of laid-in weft into the shed point in forward position of the sley. The acceleration and retardation forces increase with sley weight and with higher sley speed.

The operation curve with respect to acceleration and deceleration of the sley shows that the positive work at. acceleration changes to negative work at deceleration.

positive work v Said known drive system, particularly for wide looms requiring high contact pressure and, therefore, heavy stable sleys, involve disadvantages such as great masses of inertia, unfavorable utilization of the drive source power, necessary drive shafts and reduction gears, vibrations and limited speed. A further great disadvantage is that the sley always is mechanically guided-together with the remaining loom mechanisms. I,

All the aforesaid disadvantages are eliminated by the present invention, which is characterized in that it comprises two separate sley movements, one for single contact and one for double contact, and that the sley movement with single contact is characterized in that the weight of the sley is balanced entirely, partially or overbalanced by means of a balancing unit, which comprises mechanical or other outer elements, for example hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders, which are in direct and continuous connection with a pressure vessel, and the sley drive proper is divided into three operation moments, the starting moment (acceleration moment), contact moment and retardation and, respectively, braking moment, that the starting moment (accelera tion moment) substantially is effected by a drive unit 1 negative work 2 (acceleration) with, for example, hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders, which are directly connected to the sley and must be operative only during the first part of the sley movement, that the contact moment substan- 5 tially is effected by a drive unit contact unit which comprises, for example, hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders actuating a toggle joint, which is so disposed that one end of one joint member is supported in the loom frame and one end of the second joint member is con- 10 nected to the sley, and that the toggle joint in the most forward sley position assumes its straightened position,

and the cylinder carries out a single stroke to straighten the toggle joint and again foldit, and that the retardation moment substantially is effected by a retardation 15 unit which, for example, is built-up as the balancing unit, for example with hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders operating with a closed pressure system, or that advantageously the balancing unit is utilized also as retardation unit. The sley movement with double contact is characterized in that the operation moment of the sley is divided in the same way as in the case of single contact, but that the cylinders carrying out the contact moment perform a double-stroke to reciprocate the sley such that one stroke direction straightens the tog- 25 gle joint from its folded position to a position slightly beyond the extended position of the toggle joint, and the second stroke direction returns the toggle joint to its starting position.

The present invention shows the further advantage, that not all types of drive units must be used simultaneously. When, for example, the sley has a low weight, the balancing unit or retardation unit possibly need not be used. It is further possible to combine different drive systems for the same sley and, moreover, different drive systems can so be coupled together, that they are 1 active during each part of the sley movement to the extent which is required for the most favorable operation with respect to loads, desired contactforce and necessary speeds.

The invention is described in greater detail hereafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. The system described is merely one example of an embodiment applying six sley swords and hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders as the power source. A modification of the embodiment in the following description, could be I carried out, for example, by means of a combination of mechanical and dynamic power sources where the balancing of the sley is effected, for example, by means of 0 tension springs, cup springs, elastic materials such as,

FIG. 1 shows a sley section with a sley sword, which is actuated by a balancing cylinder, the sley being in its rearward position.

FIG. 2 shows the same section when the sley is in its forward position,

FIG. 3 shows another sley section with a sley sword,

;which is actuated by a pressure cylinder via a toggle joint to effect the desired contact pressure. The cou- *pling of the pressure medium is only shown in a schematic way. The sley is in its rearward position with for wardly directed folded toggle joint.

FIG. 4 shows the coupling of the pressure medium in the starting moment proper and until a new stroke is to be made.

FIG. 5 shows the same sley section as in FIG. 3, the sley being in its forward position and the toggle joint entirely straightened.

FIG. 6 shows the same sley section as in FIGS. 3 and 5, when the sley has assumed its rearward position with rearwardly directed folded toggle joint.

FIG. 7 shows a further sley section with a sley sword, which is actuated by a starting cylinder, and the coupling of the pressure medium in this position of rest.

FIG. 8 shows the coupling of the pressure medium in the starting moment. proper.

FIG. 9 shows the same sley section as in FIG. 3 with the same initial position as described for FIG. 3 and is to be used for explaining an embodiment of the invention when the sley movement performs double contacts.

FIG. 10 shows the same sley section as in FIG. 9 in the forward position of the sley.

FIG. 11 shows the same sley section as in FIGS. 9 and 10 when the toggle joint just has arrived at its turning point to effect on its return way the second contact.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the sley.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 a bearing stand 1 is shown which serves as a support for the sley sword 2 and cylinder 6 and in addition as an intermediate support for all longitudinal bars and stabilizing elements comprised in the loom. The sley sword 2, which includes the shuttle path 3 and reed 4, is pivotally mounted on an axle 5. The cylinder 6 at its lower end is pivotally mounted on an axle 8. A piston rod coupling 10, which is fastened to piston rod 9 of the cylinder 6, is pivotally connected to the sley sword 2 by axle II. The pressure end of the cylinder is connected with a pressure medium (compressed air or pressure oil). This coupling is shown only in a schematic manner. Numeral 114 designates a pressure vessel, for example a compressed air container, 13 is a stop valve, throttle valve or excess-pressure valve, and 12 is a hose or pipe connection between the pressure vessel 14 and cylinder 6.

When the pressure vessel 14, for example, is filled with compressed air of 6 atm. gage pressure, a force P is produced which counteracts the sley weight N. The force P of the cylinder piston is:

P A T A area in cm on the pressure end of the piston T gage pressure of the pressure medium in kp/cm For a given cylinder diameter it is easy to change the cylinder force P by means of a pressure regulator on vessel 14 (not shown) until the desired balancing of the sley is obtained. The closer the approach to a balancing, the less acceleration force in the starting moment of the sley is required. A further possibility of adjusting the active force of the cylinder is by manually adjusting the stop or throttle valve 13. Hereby the air pressure on the pressure end of the position at extended piston, as shown in FIG. 2, is reduced, but it is restored to the same initial pressure when the piston again has as sumed its position of rest. When the stop valve is not used, the force P is in all cylinder positions substantially e ual.

This cylinder force P simultaneously acts as a buffer deceleration force) when the sley moves from the for-- ward position shown in FIG. 2 to the rearward position shown in FIG. 1.

In FIG. 3, numeral 26 refers to another bearing stand lying parallel with that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The associated sley sword 15, which has the same appearance as the aforementioned sword 2, includes also the shuttle path 3 and reed 4. This sley sword 15 is pivotally mounted on the axle 27, and the pressure cylinder 24 is pivotally mounted by its rearward end fork on the axle 16. The toggle joint comprising arms 19 and 20 has a pin 21 and is pivotally mounted on one side in the bearing stand 26 on the axle l8 and on the other side to the sley sword 15 by the axle 22. FIG. 3 shows further how a piston rod coupling 23 connected with the piston 25 is pivotally mounted in the toggle joint arm 19 by the axle 17. The sley, as shown in FIG. 3, has assumed its rearward position, and the toggle joint is folded forwardly. The piston 25 is in its retracted end position. It is here also shown in a schematic way, by way of example, how the pressure medium is connected. Due to the switch 33 being closed, e.g. manually, the magnet coil 29 attracts the valve cone in the valve 28 and opens the connection between the inlet 31 of the valve and the piston rod end of the cylinder. At the starting moment proper, the switch 33 is open, and the switch 32 is closed e. g. manually. Thereby the magnet coil 30 in the valve 28 attracts the valve cone and, thus, opens the connection between the inlet 31 of the valve and the piston pressure end of the cylinder. This coupling position is shown in FIG. 4, in which the electric control function is not explained in detail but only indicated symbolically by said switches 32 and 33. This switching having taken place, the pressure chamber of the cylinder is filled with the pressure medium, which can act upon the pressure area of the piston and cause the piston to extend. The piston now commences to straighten the toggle joint and simultaneously to lift the sley.

FIG. 5 shows the position when the piston 25 has entirely straightened the toggle joint, and the sley has as sumed its forward position. In this position when the toggle joint is entirely straightened, the contact force of the sley is theoretically infinite. This is of great advantage when heavy fabrics are to be produced. The piston 25, however, continues to extend and forces the toggle joint into its folded rearward position as shown in FIG. 6. At the same time also, the sley l5 reassumes its rear-- ward position. It is advantageous to apply an even number of pressure cylinders and an equal number of toggle joints folded forward and rearward.

For very heavy sleys it may be advantageous to apply special starting cylinders. FIG. 7 shows an example with air cylinders, and also in this case a bearing stand 36 is used which carries the sley sword 34, which is pivotally mounted on the axle 35. Also in this Figure the shuttle path 3 and reed 4 are shown. The starting cylinder 41 is pivotally mounted on the axle 37, and the piston rod coupling 39 connected with the piston rod 40 is, as before, pivotally mounted on the sley sword 34 in the axle 38. Also by this example the sley has assumed its rearward position of rest, and the cylinder piston 40 is in its retracted end position. The Figure further shows in a schematic way the coupling of compressed air. Due to the switch 46 being open, the magnet coil 45 is not actuated and no air can pass from the inlet of valve 42 to the outlet of the valve. The connection between valve 42 and cylinder 41 is established by a pressure line 43. FIG. 8 shows that the switch 46 is closed at the start, whereby the magnet coil 45 of the valve is actuated and attracts the valve cone, and compressed air can pass through the valve. The switch 46 is opened advantageously when the piston rod 40 has carried out about one-half to three-fourths of its total stroke, so that the pressure chamber of the cylinder is given sufficient time to be emptied of compressed air to prevent resistance at the return movement of the piston to the rearward end position.

It is often of great advantage when the sley performs so-called double-contact, i.e. the sley after its first stroke (forward position) moves back only a short distance and again arrives in its forward position (second stroke). FIGS. 9 to 11 show an embodiment which, by means of compressed air cylinders, is an alternative to single contact as described in connection with FIGS. 3-6. The details and their initial position are not described in detail as they correspond to the disclosure relating to FIG. 3. The start takes place in the same way as described for'FIGS. 3 and 4. The forward sley position is arrived at, as shown in FIG. 10, in the same way as described in connection with FIG. 5. When sley having assumed the position as shown in FIG. 11, however, the valve 28 is switched over and the switch 32 is opened and simultaneously the switch 33 is closed. Thereby the compressed air acts upon the piston 25 in such a way that the piston is returned to its retracted rearward position. The desired sley position, for example, can be adjusted by means of an adjustable stop member 47, which is shown only in a schematic way.

What we claim is: l. Sley driving apparatus in a loom having a support and a sley with a plurality of sley swords, said apparatus comprising three separate fluid operating means for advancing and retracting the sley, one of said operating means being a starting means directly connected between one of said sley swords and the support of the loom and which is operative only during a first part of the sley movement; a toggle joint coupled between a second sley sword and said support, the second of said operating means being connected to said toggle joint, said toggle joint comprising one link which is coupled to said support and a second link which is coupled to the associated sley sword such that said toggle joint is straightened as'the sley sword moves to its advanced position; the third of said operating means comprising a cylinder coupled directly between one of said sley swords and said support of the loom and an adjustable source of pressure connected to said cylinder so that the weight of the sley is counter-acted by the stored energy in said cylinderwhen the sley sword is in its retracted position.

2. Sley driving apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said second operating means comprises a cylinder, which makes a double stroke for advancing and retracting said sley sword so that in one direction of stroke said toggle joint is turned from a folded position to a position past the straight position and in the other direction of stroke said toggle joint is returned to said folded position.

3. Sley driving apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said operating means are hydraulic.

4. Sley driving apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said operating means are pneumatic.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent N Dated ,9,

' Heinz Koster et a1. Inventor(s) are in the above-identified patent It -is certified that error appe ted as shown below:

and that said Letters Patent are hereby corre Onthe Cover sheet insert [30] For'eign'A'ppli'c'atiori Priority Data Sweden 4804/71 April 14, 1971 sighed and sealed this 10th day of December 1974.

Attest:

McCOY I-I. GIBSON JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of. Patents FORM PO-105O (10-69) v USCOMM DC eo376 p69 V ustovinuyzm PRINTINGOFFICE: 869.930 

1. Sley driving apparatus in a loom having a support and a sley with a plurality of sley swords, said apparatus comprising three separate fluid operating means for advancing and retracting the sley, one of said operating means being a starting means directly connected between one of said sley swords and the support of the loom and which is operative only during a first part of the sley movement; a toggle joint coupled between a second sley sword and said support, the second of said operating means being connected to said toggle joint, said toggle joint comprising one link which is coupled to said support and a second link which is coupled to the associated sley sword such that said toggle joint is straightened as the sley sword moves to its advanced position; the third of said operating means comprising a cylinder coupled directly between one of said sley swords and said support of the loom and an adjustable source of pressure connected to said cylinder so that the weight of the sley is counter-acted by the stored energy in said cylinder when the sley sword is in its retracted position.
 2. Sley driving apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said second operating means comprises a cylinder, which makes a double stroke for advancing and retracting said sley sword so that in one direction of stroke said toggle joint is turned from a folded position to a position past the straight position and in the other direction of stroke said toggle joint is returned to said folded position.
 3. Sley driving apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said operating means are hydraulic.
 4. Sley driving apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said operating means are pneumatic. 